Ski pole strap safety attachment means



April 16, 1968 R. E. LEWIS 3,378,272

SKI POLE STRAP SAFETY ATTACHMENT MEANS Filed Dec. 3. 1965 2 SheetsSheet l /4 j) l 'v 29 52 .h/35 v l 54 l 1 6 30 d /8 I /O ROBERT E. LEWIS ATTORNEYS April 16, 1968 R. E. LEWIS 3,378,272

SKI POLE STRAP SAFETY ATTACHMENT MEANS Filed Dec. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT E. LEWIS `AT TO RN E YS United States Patent O 3,378,272 SKI POLE STRAP SAFETY ATTACHMENT MEANS Robert E. Lewis, 21911 Highview, Mount Clemens, Mich. 48043 Filed Dec. 3, 1965, Ser. No.A 511,387 8 Claims. (Cl. A80-11.37)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A safety attachment for a ski pole including a strap carrier member mounted on the upper open end of a ski pole and having an extension slidably mounted in said open end of the ski pole, and self-releasable means detachably connecting the strap carrier `member extension to the ski pole, whereby if the ski pole is=accidently engaged with an obstruction, the pole will be detached from the strap carrier member and prevent injury to the skier.

This invention relates generally to the ski art, and more particularly, to a novel and improved ski pole provided with a safety attachment means for a ski pole strap.

The prior art ski poles are provided with loop straps which are secured fixedly to the poles. The skiers hands are inserted through the loops and the straps are Wound around the wrists of the skier. While it is necessary to have the ski pole straps looped around the wrists of a skier, it is -a hazardous situation sin-ce if a pole is accidentally caught in some obstruction, such as a rock or a tree branch, the skier may be thrown to the ground and injured. Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole provided with a safety attachment means for a ski pole strap which is adapted to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art ski poles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means whereby a skier may detach his hand from the pole without the cumbersome process of the skier taking his hand out of the strap loop.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved safety attachment means for a ski pole strap which is adapted to permit use of conventional loop straps for securing ski poles to the wrists of a skier, yet which will permit the loop straps to be quickly and easily detached from the ski poles if the poles are caught in obstructions during a skiing operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole provided with a safety attachment means for attaching a loop type strap to the pole whereby the ski pole strap may be self-released if the pole is accidentally retained by an obstruction.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole strap safety attachment means which is simple and compact in construction, economical to manufacture and efficient in operation.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole provided with a safety means for attaching a ski pole strap to the pole and wherein the connecting point of the safety attachment means is centrally located on the pole for convenience of attaching a strap, and no reference point is necessary about the perimeter of the pole handle as is required in some prior art ski poles.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole provided with a safety attachment means for attaching a ski strap to the pole, whereby when the ski pole strap is disconnected from the pole the portion of the strap attachment means attached to the wrist of the skier is held to a minimum size for maximum safety in the event of a fall by the skier.

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It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved ski pole which includes, a hand grip attached to the upper end of the ski pole, the upper end of the ski pole and hand grip being open, a plug on the open upper end of the ski pole and hand grip, a ski pole strap attached to said plug, and, a selfreleasing means for detachably securing the plug to the pole.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: i

FIG. 1 is a broken, elevational View of a ski pole provided with a ski pole strap safety attachment means made in accordance with the principles 0f the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged, exploded view of the upper end of the ski pole structure shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating the self-releasing safety method of securing the ski pole strap to the ski pole;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, elevational section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an elevational section View of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken along the line 4-4 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, elevational section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2, taken along the line 5--5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an elevational section View of a ski pole strap safety attachment means, showing a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6, taken along the line 7 7 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is an elevational section view of the embodiment of FIG. 6, and showing this embodiment releasably mounted in the open upper end of a ski pole;

FIG. 9 is an elevational section View of another modification of the invention, showing a modified ski strap attachment plug adapted to be used with the ski pole of FIG. 8; and,

FIG. l0 is an elevational section view of a further modification of a ski pole strap attachment plug adapted to be used with the ski pole illustrated in FIG. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to lGS. l through 5, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional ski pole provided with a ski pole strap safety attachment means made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The ski pole 10 is provided with the usual pointed lower end 11 and the basket means 12. The numeral 13 generally indicates a ski pole handle which comprises the lower hand grip p0rtion 14 and the detachable upper end plug portion 15 made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The hand grip portion 14 is secured to the upper end of the pole 1t) in the usual manner, and may be made of any suitable material. The plug 1S may be made from the same material as the hand grip portion 14 for matching purposes. As shown in FIG. 3, the hand grip portion 14 is provided with the inner bore 16 in which is slidably mounted the upper end of the ski pole 10 and which is secured thereto by any suitable means, as by a suitable adhesive.

In FIG. l, the numeral 17 generally indicates the usual looped ski 'strap comprising the integrally connected 'strap portions 18 and 19. As shown in FIG. 3, the ends of the strap portions 1S and 19 are seated in a transverse, inwardly extended recess 2t), and are secured therein and to the releasable handle plug 15 by the axially extended screw 22. The screw 22 extends through the holes 21 formed through the ends of the strap portions 18 3i and 19 and into the hole 23 formed in the plug 15. The upper end or head of the screw 22 is seated in the axial recess 24 of the plug 15. The recess 24 forms the enlarged upper end of the hole 23.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plug 15 is provided with the reduced detachably mounted lower end portion or extension 25. The upper end of the reduced plug extension 25 is enlarged, as indicated by the numeral 26, and is seated in the axially inward extended annular recess 27 formed on the lower end of the plug 15. The reduced plug extension 25 is secured to the main body of the plug by the screw 22 which extends downwardly out of the hole 23 and into the threaded bore 28 which is axially disposed in the reduced plug extension 25.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the reduced plug extension is provided on the lower end thereof with the integral axially extended attachment ball 29 which is of an overall diameter smaller than the diameter of the plug extension 25. As shown in FIG. 3, the outer diameter of the plug extension 25 is of a size to permit the plug extension 25 to be slidably mounted in the upper end of the bore 30 of the ski pole 10.

When the plug 1S has been mounted on the open upper end of the ski pole 10, as shown in FIG 3, the ball 29 is adapted to be releasably snapped into grip-ping engagement with a safety spring means that comprises a pair of spaced apart spring fingers 3l and 32 which are integrally attached to a plate 33. The plate 33 is attached to the bore 30 at the upper end of the ski pole 10 bythe screw 34, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The spring lingers 31 and 32 have curved upper end portions or arcuately shaped portions which are adapted to mate with the curved outer surface of the ball 29. As shown in FIG. 2, a hole 3S is formed through the side Walls of the upper end of the pole and the handle grip portion 14. The hole 35 is aligned with the screw 34 to permit a screwdriver to be inserted into the pole and into operative engagement with the screw 34.

It will be seen that the plug 15 may be quickly and easily mounted on the upper end of the ski pole It). It Will also be seen that the plug 15 may be manually lreleased or self-released from the ski pole 10. The spring fingers 31 and 32 are resilient and provide a sufficient grip on the ball 29 to maintain the plug 1S in operative position on the pole 10, but are adapted to release the ball Z9 if the pole 10 is accidentally caught in an obstruction, such as a rock or a tree branch, whereby the pole 10 will be automatically self-released from the plug 15, and the pole 1f) will be pulled out of the hand of the skier with the ski strap 17 and the plug 15 remaining f attached to the wrist of the skier.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention wherein the parts which are identical to the parts of the *first embodiment 'of FIGS. l through 5 have been marked with the same reference numerals followed by the small letter 11. In this embodiment the ball 29 has been replaced by a spring means 38 which is adapted to coact with an annular neck or restriction 37 in the upper end of the ski pole 10a, as shown in FIG. 8.

The spring means 38 comprises the four axially extended, spaced apart spring fingers 39, 40, dit and 42 which are integrally connected at the upper ends thereof by the transverse attachment plate portion d3. The spring means 38 is connected to the lower end of the plug re'd-utc'eid portion 25a by the screw 414 which is threadably mounted in the threaded hole which is an extension of the threaded hole 28a. It will be seen that the spring fingers 39, 40, 41 and d2 are circularly disposed and are formed with an upper concave portion attached to a lower convex, outwardly extended portion with the lower ends directed inwardly. The spring fingers thus are provided with a lower rounded portion and an upper narrow waist portion to simulate the structure of a ball and to provide a gripping function with the restriction 37 similar i to the gripping action of the springs 31 and 32 on the ball 29 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 5.

As shown in FiIG. 8, the upper end of the ski pole 10a is provided with a circumferential, radially inward extended portion 37 to form a restriction or neck portion through which the spring fingers 39, 4G, 41 and 42 are extended when the plug 15a is inserted into the pole 10a, as shown in FIG. 8. The reduced plug extension 25a is of a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the ski pole 10a so as to permit a sliding reception of the reduced plug extension 25. The spring fingers 39, 40, 41 and 42 pass through the restriction or neck 37 of the pole 10a and then expand outwardly into the position shown in FIG. 8, when the plug 15a is in a fully inserted position.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 functions in the same manner as the first embodiment. It will be seen, that the quick, self-release means is slightly different, but that the overall function is the same. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the flexible part or spring part is mounted on the plug 15a instead of on the ski pole y16a as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a modified plug 15b which may be used with the ski pole 10a in FIG. 8. The plug extension 25b of the embodiment of FIG. 9 has been made integral with a ball 29b. The plug extension 25b and the ball 29h is made from any suitable resilient plastic or rubber, such as Teflon plastic. It will be seen that when the releasable plug 15b is mounted in the upper end of t-he ski pole 10a, the ball 29h will be compressed to permit it to pass through the restriction or neck 37 into a position below the neck 37 to retain the plug 15b in a self-releasable position on the pole 10a.

FIG. 10 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention in which the upper portion of the plug 15e has been made integral with the reduced extension 25C and the ball 29C. The material used for the plug embodiment of FIG. 10 would be the same type of flexible and resilient material used for the plug extension 25h and the ball 29b of the embodiment of FIG. 9. The plug of FIG. l0 would function with the ski pole 10a of FIG. 8 in the same manner as the plug illustrated in FIG. 9.

It will be seen that the ski pole strap safety attachment means of the present invention provides a safety device and at the same time makes it possible to use this safety device as a means of disconnecting the ski pole straps from the ski poles without making it necessary to pull each hand out of each ski pole strap loop to release the poles. When a skier finds it necessary to take the ski poles off, he can readily pull upwards against a strap while holding the particular pole with the other hand. In this manner, the safety attachment means will be disengaged from the pole. It is believed that skiers 'will disengage the strap from the pole in the last described manner in preference to the cumbersome Process of pulling his hand through the loop of the strap as is necessary with a conventional loop strap. However, with the structure of the present invention, the skier will have the option of using either method while still retaining the safety feature of the self-releasing function when a pole becomes inadvertently retained by an obstruction.

It will also be seen that if the option of disconnecting the straps by means of the safety attachment means is used, that an easy reference point is provided if the skier wishes to re-connect or re-attach the strap to the pole. The connection point is located centrally on the upper end of the pole as compared to a connecting point disposed on the perimeter of the pole. If the connecting point were on the perimeter of the pole, the skier would have to turn the pole around until he located the connection point.

It will be further seen that it would not be desirable for the portion of the pole that is detachable with the strap to be bulky because a falling skier might be injured if his hand landed on a bulky object attached to the strap. It will be seen that the ski strap safety attachment means of the present invention provides a safety means wherein the attachment structure is held to a minimum size.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulll the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modication, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a pole having a tubular, open handle end; a strap carrier member mounted on said pole open end and having an extension slidably mounted therein; a strap connected to said strap carrier member; a first ball shaped attachment maens mounted on the inner end of said strap carrier member extension; and, a second attachment means in said pole open end ,and in selfreleasable connecting engagement with said rst latta/chment means around `the outer surface thereof, whereby when opposite axially directed forces are exerted on the strap carrier member and pole, said strap carrier member will be detached from said pole.

2. The structure deiined in claim 1, wherein: said rst ball shaped attachment means comprises a rigid member; and, said second attachment means comprises a plurality of resilient members sel-releasably connected to said rigid member.

3. The structure as deued in claim 2, wherein: said plurality of resilient members comprises a piurality of arcuately shaped spring members in self-releasable, gripping engagement with said ball shaped member.

4. The structure as deiincd in claim 1, wherein: said rst ball shaped attachment means comprises a resilient means; and, said second attachment means comprises a rigid means in self-releasable gripping engagement with said resilient means.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein: said resilient means comprises a plurality of spring members; and said rigid means comprises a means in said pole open end which reduces the cross section area of` the interior of the tubular pole at a position spaced inwardly from the pole open end, whereby when the strap carrier member is mounted on the pole open end the plurality of spring members will extend through said 45 reduced cross section area and contact the reduced cross section area in a self-releasable gripping engagement.

6. In combination, a pole having a tubular, open handle end; a strap carrier member mounted on said pole open end and having an extension slidably mounted therein; a strap connected to said strap carrier member; a rst attachment means mounted on the inner end of said strap carrier member extension; a second attachment means in said pole open end and in self-releasable connecting engagement with said first attachment means, whereby when opposite axially directed forces are exerted on the strap carrier member and pole, said strap carrier member will be detached from said pole; said first attachment means comprising a resilient means; said second attachment means comprising a rigid means in selfreleasable gripping engagement with said resilient means; said resilient means comprising a ball shaped resilient member; and, said rigid means comprising a means in said pole open end which reduces the cross section area of the interior of the tubular pole at a position spaced inwardly from the pole open end, whereby when the strap carrier member is mounted on the pole open end, the ball shaped resilient member will extend through the reduced cross section area and contact the reduced Cross section area in a self-releasable `gripping engagement.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein: said fblall shaped resilient lrnemlber 'is rnade integral *with said strap carrier member.

8. The structure as defined in claim 6, wherein: said ball shaped resilient member is made separately from said strap carrier member and is detachably connected thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 726,265 4/1903 Dawes 287-119 X 1,827,183 10/1931 Burgess 287-119 2,741,485 4/1956 Storm et al. ZBO-41.37 2,833,576 5/1958 CirOne 287--126 2,855,206 10/1958 Haviland 287-126 X 2,946,600 7/1960 Cubberley 2811-1137 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,004,044 9/ 1965 'Great Britain.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner.

MILTON L. SMITH, Examiner. 

